Equality?

[denuseri]

Ah yes, in the 10th Century BC...Sparta was unique in ancient Greece for its social system and constitution, which completely focused on military training and excellence. Its inhabitants were classified as Spartiates (Spartan citizens, who enjoyed full rights), Mothakes (non-Spartan free men raised as Spartans), Perioikoi (freedmen), and Helots (state-owned serfs, enslaved non-Spartan local population). Spartiates underwent the rigorous agoge training and education regimen, and Spartan phalanxes were widely considered undefeatable in battle.

In Sparta they also had two "kings" who ruled...and only the Spartiates were true citizens. Much of what I read on Sparta is exciting, to be sure, but not translatable in today's society.

Hey you asked...lol. They are the only society that even approaches true equality in my book that I could think of that came to mind.

Also, when one studdies them one must remember: the Kings were more a matter of a traditional position as well as sitting on the Assembly with an equal vote to the other members of their Gerouseia and they were equally subject even when in the field with the army to the will of the Ephors who were a small council elected for one year terms that presided over the lot of them:

Spartans were also the first society we know of who also refered to each other men and women alike as "equals".

And yes it was only "equal" for the actual Spartans, the helots and others, who were not actual spartans like most non citizens in any greek city state (including athens where women were little better than chattel slaves) didnt live under the same conditions.

Whats most interesting and completely applicable to our modern discussion in examining their society in todays light, isnt any of the above however so much as what it took for them to develope a system of governemnet and an economy that worked to attempt to equalize things for them.

To do any of it, they had to be all on the same religious page (hence why Lycurgus recieved approval for his changes in their governemnt from the oracles) and they had to change whole way of life; especially their economic systems basis, (which is why they made ownership of so many things illegal and used iron bars at exorburant wieghts for wealth instead of gold).

They basically had to move their society as a whole away from one bound by the aquisition of material wealth to one that embraced, duty to the city over duty to the individual and personal honor and merit over arvice and comfort.

Something which unfortunately I see few if any people in the workld willing to even attempt anymore.

[steelish]

Hey you asked...lol. They are the only society that even approaches true equality in my book that I could think of that came to mind.

lol, you're right, I did

Whats most interesting and completely applicable to our modern discussion in examining their society in todays light, isnt any of the above however so much as what it took for them to develope a system of governemnet and an economy that worked to attempt to equalize things for them.

To do any of it, they had to be all on the same religious page (hence why Lycurgus recieved approval for his changes in their governemnt from the oracles) and they had to change whole way of life; especially their economic systems basis, (which is why they made ownership of so many things illegal and used iron bars at exorburant wieghts for wealth instead of gold).

They basically had to move their society as a whole away from one bound by the aquisition of material wealth to one that embraced, duty to the city over duty to the individual and personal honor and merit over arvice and comfort.

Something which unfortunately I see few if any people in the workld willing to even attempt anymore.

Well, for one thing - America embraces various religious beliefs, so everyone being on the same religious page won't work. At one time, duty to country and the well-being of the next generation were the overriding important things in America. Personal honor and merit also played a role in American life. Somewhere along the line people began to lose sight of these things. Believe it or not, there are groups of people in America trying to restore these things. Honor, merit, hope, humility, sincerity, hard work, courage, gratitude, faith (whatever your personal faith might be), personal responsibility...everything that originally made America strong. Unfortunately, in order to get the majority of Americans on this same page, it will take weeding out the politicians who do not possess these values.